PHONOLOGICAL AWARENESS, AGE EFFECTS, AND SLA PERSPECTIVES: AN INTEGRATED ANALYSIS

This article provides an integrated analysis of three central themes in modern applied linguistics: phonological awareness, the age factor in language acquisition, and major perspectives in second language acquisition (SLA). Drawing on cognitive, neurological, and pedagogical frameworks, the study synthesizes existing theories to explain how age influences the development of phonological awareness and how these processes interact with broader SLA mechanisms. Special attention is given to segmental and suprasegmental development, neural plasticity, metalinguistic awareness, implicit and explicit learning, and cross-linguistic transfer. The article concludes with pedagogical recommendations relevant to different age groups in English Language Teaching (ELT).

Keywords: Phonological awareness; age factor; SLA; metalinguistic development; phonetics; ELT methodology; cognitive linguistics